An extendible mast has already be known in a configuration of which plural stages of foldable trusses are continued. A conventional apparatus for pushing out such an extendible mast as described above comprises a mast storing unit and a mast pushing-out unit. The mast storing unit is configured to store the extendible mast which is in a state that the plural trusses of stages are folded. The mast pushing-out unit is adjoined and is fixed to the mast storing unit. And, the mast pushing-out unit is configured to extend out the extendible mast stored in the mast storing unit into a side of the mast pushing-out unit opposite to the mast storing unit if necessary by sequentially extending out the plural trusses of stages folded and stored in the mast storing unit and by pushing out the extended trusses of stages into the side of the mast pushing-out unit opposite to the mast storing unit.
Almost all of extendible masts are used while they are mounted on moving objects. Therefore, it is preferable that a pushing-out apparatus for an extendible mast to be mounted on the moving object is as small as possible. A space moving object such as an artificial satellite, a spaceship or a planet probe is included in the moving object, and a pushing-out apparatus for an extendible mast to be mounted on the space moving object is especially and strongly required to be miniaturized.
This invention is derived from the above described circumstances and an object of this invention is to provide a pushing-out apparatus for an extendible mast, which can be remarkably miniaturized as compared with the conventional one.